Boys Like Girls' self-titled debut album was an unexpected success, eventually going gold. Devoid of any hit singles, the album seemed to catch on because it was a perfect distillation of the emo pop sound with no rough edges to scare people away. For the follow-up, 2009's LOVE DRUNK, the band sticks to the same basic template of super slick, glossily produced emo pop with uptempo songs that sound stadium singalong-friendly and ballads that seem destined to melt teenage girls' hearts. The difference this time is that the songs are better written and hookier, especially the rockers. "She's Got a Boyfriend Now" and "Contagious" sound like 2000s updates of the classic '80s sound of pop/rockers like Bryan Adams and Rick Springfield; "Real Thing" even conjures up the red leather and headbanded ghost of Loverboy!

Artist Overview

Boston quartet Boys Like Girls fall on the poppy, punky side of emo, along the lines of Jimmy Eat World and Fall Out Boy. The band formed in 2005 out of the remains of a local pop-punk band called Lancaster, which featured singer and guitarist Martin Johnson, bassist Bryan Donohue, and drummer John Keefe. With new lead guitarist Paul DiGiovanni in place, the band developed an online buzz through various social networking sites, which led to their signing with Columbia Records and a steady stream of well-received albums and a surprising surfeit of crossover pop hits.

Professional Reviews

Rolling Stone (p.70) - 3 stars out of 5 -- "The second album from these gold-selling Boston guys is as arena-ready as any record you'll hear all year....[With] sugar-shot melodies."

Entertainment Weekly (p.65) - "Three years after their hit debut, they're a little older but just as emphatic....The world is these guys' post-prom party." -- Grade: B